Higley candidate discusses issues
EV domestic violence slaying
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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
COMMUNITY........ 23 Gilbert singer appears on GCU album.
BUSINESS................. 27 Gilbert studio dancing into fitness.
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Town doles out pandemic relief funding BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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p to 120 residents in Gilbert who lost their jobs due to the pandemic will soon be able to learn new skills for free to help get them back on their feet. Town Council last week approved a $150,000 contract with Maricopa County Community College District to provide the training and up to 200 hours of technical coaching for Gilbert-based businesses. Nine bidders applied for the contract, which expires Dec. 31, 2021. “The programs align with high-demand professions that provide wages at or above Maricopa County median wage,” according to Dan Henderson, economic development director at last Tuesday’s special virtual
meeting. Some of the entry-level career and technical training include for jobs such as advanced paramedic, welding, real estate and administrative professional. The training is aimed at low-to-moderate income residents. The training will take place at Chandler-Gilbert and Mesa community colleges with courses that could take as few as two weeks or as long as two semesters to complete. The jobs skills and coaching are part of the town’s three-phase approach to help the business community recover from the economic fallout of the pandemic. Gilbert is funding the plan with its $29.2 million share from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. A subcommittee composed of Vice May-
or Yung Koprowksi, Councilwoman Aimee Yentes and Councilwoman Scott September recommended directing $18 million of the town’s allocation toward supporting businesses with short-, mid- and long-term help. Of that total, $11.6 million was approved last week. The subcommittee also has recommended using $5 million for recovery loans for businesses that had to tap into their savings, use lines of credit or credit cards to stay afloat during their mandatory shutdown. Staff was still working to finalize a contract with a lending institution and did not have a set date when that will come to the Council for approval, according to spokeswoman Kiley Phillips.
see CARES page 7
Mayoral hopefuls clash at two forums BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
GETOUT..................... 36 HD SOUTH offers plenty this month.
COMMUNITY.......................................23 BUSINESS............................................. 27 OPINION..................................... 31 SPORTS.......................................33 GETOUT......................................36 PUZZLE.......................................38 CLASSIFIED......................................... 40
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hen it comes to taxes, voter-approved school initiatives and wearing masks, the two mayoral candidates for Gilbert are polar opposites. Unite for Education hosted a virtual forum last Thursday between Brigette Peterson and Matt Nielsen. Early voting begins Wednesday for the Nov. 3 General Election. The two candidates in the nonpartisan race fielded 13 questions about affordable housing, diversity, investment priorities for Gilbert and other issues during the hour-long event. Peterson has served the town for close to two decades, most recently as a councilwoman for the past
see FORUM page 6
Matt Nielsen
Brigette Peterson